Malaita By-Elections Prolonged

The by-elections for the Aoke-Langa Langa and East Malaita constituencies, will be held in February next year, according to the Electoral Commission.

This follows the deaths of former MP for East Malaita and Public Service Minister, the late Joses Sanga, and the former MP for Aoke-Langa Langa, the late Bartholomew Ulufa'alu.

The Electoral Commission said that the registration should have started this month but there were no funds provided in time. The Electoral Commission, in a recent meeting, plans to prolong the by-election to ensure that legal provisions are complied with.

Speaking to the National Express Newspaper the Electoral Commission stated that the entire process of registration would mean that the earliest the by-elections could be held is in February next year.

Finance Minister, Gordon Darcy Lilo, told Parliament that funds for the by-elections would be provided under contingencies warrant. Although no money was provided for under the 2007 supplementary appropriation, the Minister of Finance stated that he will authorize expenditures by contingency warrants. Finance Minister Lilo said that parliament can formally authorize them later by another supplementary Appropriation Bill.

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